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K-3 Literacy

Blueprint for Literacy | K-3 Reading Program

Our Goal
For all students to become lifelong readers who will be college and career-ready by the time they graduate from Columbia Heights High School.

To do this, we need to have every child reading at grade level by third grade. We do this by building a strong foundation in key reading skills that include the ability to do the following:

  • Sound out letters and words
  • Read accurately and with expression at an appropriate rate of words per minute
  • Understand and use a large range of words
  • Understand grade-level stories and informational texts online and through books

Our Program
Research-Based Instruction
All K-3 students are guaranteed the following in our schools:

  • 90 minutes of reading a day in a research-based reading program
  • Daily small group instruction from their teacher
  • Independent reading time with appropriate level text
  • Take home reading materials
  • Ongoing assessment to measure progress
  • Additional support in small groups when needed

Interventions and Support
Students who are below grade level will receive additional intensive instruction in small groups. In addition, the district offers the following:

  • After-school remedial classes
  • Online resources available at home
  • Summer School

Assessment for Learning
Students are continuously assessed to ensure our instruction targets students’ needs and to check that students are improving their ability to read increasingly difficult text. Assessments we use include the following:

  • Placement and growth: September, January, and May
  • Regular progress monitoring
  • Diagnostic screening, as needed

Partnership with Parents/Families
We are eager to partner with families in helping students learn to read well. Here are some of the ways we are committed to working with you.

  • Home reports after testing are shared in October, February, and June
  • Student progress discussed at parent-teacher conferences
  • Families communicated with when students are below grade level
  • All families are invited to school activities that promote reading at home
  • Introduction to curriculum and online resources at the beginning of the school year
  • Schools provide sessions on ways to support reading at home

Meeting Diverse Student Needs
Our district is committed to classrooms that are responsive to the cultures and languages represented in the homes of our students. We support diverse student needs through the following:

  • Co-teaching all reading classes with an English Learner teacher
  • Providing supplementary vocabulary support
  • Including lessons that reflect the cultures of our students
  • Providing ongoing training to our teachers in diversity

Consistency Across Classrooms
Our district guarantees that all students will have access to the same teachers who are trained in our research-based reading program. Our training includes:

  • Ongoing evaluation and feedback from building principals/leadership
  • Ongoing training from reading experts
  • Filmed lessons for analysis by teachers
  • Weekly grade-level meetings of teachers to look at data and plan lessons
  • Monthly review of the program by the District Literacy Team 

Birth to Age 5 Literacy Plan

Pre K to Grade 5 Literacy Plan

Grades 6-12 Literacy Plan